After the conference, the work begins. The first of the ASPIRE 2026 takeaways now shaping our 2027 programme is about South Poland.
Scale wins. Prof. Wojciech Czakon of the Jagiellonian University made that case in the War Room with Przemek Roth, Chair of our Strategic Board, in a session on how competitors build scale together. Two other sessions showed what it means for the region. Dorota Gruchała of JLL set out the demographic challenge in The People Map of 2035. The World Stage plenary asked whether the cities of South Poland are five rivals or one region.
Many businesses already work at regional level, in recruitment, sales and innovation. Each city is also building its own clusters of expertise, and these too reach across the region. When Kraków says that some 8 million people live within 100 km of the Market Square, it is counting Katowice and the GZM Metropolis.
We start with Katowice. This year Katowice joined Kraków, our Host City, as City Partner of the conference, the first time it has done so. Our HR Lab with PCS has already been extended to Katowice.
Next comes an ASPIRE network in Katowice. If you work in Katowice or across the region and would like to help shape it, write to joinus@aspire.org.pl.